Small form factor fiber optic connector with multi-purpose boot

Abstract

An optical connector holding two or more LC-type optical ferrules is provided. The optical connector includes an outer body, an inner front body accommodating the two or more LC-type optical ferrules, ferrule springs for urging the optical ferrules towards a mating connection, and a back body for supporting the ferrule springs. A removable inner front body for polarity change is disclosed. A multi-purpose rotatable boot assembly for polarity change is disclosed. The multi-purpose boot assembly can be pushed and pulled to insert and remove the micro connector from an adapter receptacle.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A fiber optic connector having a boot, a crimp body, and a housing having at least two optical fibers therein, the fiber optic connector comprising:
 a front end opening in the housing, the housing having a pair of short sides forming a top and a bottom and a pair of long sides joining the top and the bottom, the at least two optical fibers spaced apart between the top and the bottom formed by the pair of short sides, a separation between the top and the bottom is more than a separation between individual ones of the pair of long sides; 
 the crimp body positioned rearward of the front end of the housing, the crimp body having a rear portion; and 
 the boot receiving the rear portion of the crimp body and having a front extension, the front extension extending towards the front end of the housing and attached to the housing forward of a center portion of the boot, wherein the crimp body and the boot each have a respective contiguous longitudinal opening to accommodate the at least two optical fibers having ends terminated forward of the front end opening of the housing, and 
 wherein the longitudinal opening extends through a back portion of the boot rearward of the center portion of the boot; 
 wherein the front extension is located on the top of the housing; 
 wherein the fiber optic connector is configured to mate with an adapter having a keyway along a first wall of the adapter, the front extension configured to be received in the keyway when the fiber optic connector is mated with the adapter; 
 wherein the boot is configured to be displaced rearward relative to the at least two optical fibers to actuate the optical fiber connector for extraction from the adapter, the front extension configured to move rearward in the keyway relative to the at least two optical fibers when the boot is displaced rearward to actuate the optical fiber connector for extraction from the adapter. 
 
     
     
       2. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the back portion has a ribbed structure with openings on an outside surface along a length of the back portion to provide strain relief to the at least two optical fibers. 
     
     
       3. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the ends of the at least two fibers are terminated in respective two single fiber ferrules. 
     
     
       4. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 3 , wherein the two single fiber ferrules have respective front ends exposed forward of the front end opening in the housing. 
     
     
       5. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the boot is movable longitudinally relative to the housing upon application of a pull force, and wherein after application of the pull force, the boot and the housing are rotatable relative to each other to change a polarity of the fiber optic connector. 
     
     
       6. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the front extension portion has a latch. 
     
     
       7. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the center portion of the boot engages the rear portion of the housing. 
     
     
       8. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein a connection of the boot to the housing in a first relative orientation determines a first polarity of the fiber optic connector and a connection of the boot to the housing in a second relative orientation determines a second polarity of the fiber optic connector. 
     
     
       9. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 8 , wherein the first relative orientation and the second relative orientation differ by 180° about a longitudinal axis of the fiber optic connector. 
     
     
       10. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the back portion has a grasping portion at a rear end of the back portion to allow a user to push and pull on the boot. 
     
     
       11. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the boot is slidable relative to the housing. 
     
     
       12. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the front extension is an integral part of the center portion. 
     
     
       13. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the center portion has sides with cutouts. 
     
     
       14. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 1 , wherein the top of the housing comprises a recess and the front extension comprises a first portion configured to be received in the recess and a second portion configured to be positioned above the top of the housing when the first portion is received in the recess. 
     
     
       15. A fiber optic connector having a boot, a crimp body, and a housing having two optical fibers terminated respectively within two fiber optic ferrules therein, the fiber optic connector comprising:
 a front end opening in the housing for the two fiber optic ferrules, the housing having a pair of short sides forming a top and a bottom and a pair of long sides joining the top and the bottom, a separation between the top and the bottom is more than a separation between individual ones of the pair of long sides, the two fiber optic ferrules being spaced apart from each other between the top and the bottom but equidistant from each of the pair of long sides; 
 the crimp body positioned rearward of the front end of the housing, the crimp body having a rear portion to receive the two optical fibers; and 
 the boot receiving the rear portion of the crimp body and having a front extension, the front extension extending towards the front end of the housing and attached to the housing via a latch forward of a center portion of the boot, wherein the crimp body and the boot have a longitudinal opening to accommodate the two optical fibers having ends terminated forward of the front end opening of the housing, and 
 wherein the longitudinal opening extends through a back portion of the boot rearward of the center portion of the boot; 
 wherein the fiber optic connector is configured to mate with an adapter having a keyway along a first wall of the adapter, the front extension configured to be received in the keyway when the fiber optic connector is mated with the adapter; 
 wherein the boot configured to be displaced rearward relative to the at least two optical fibers to actuate the optical fiber connector for extraction from the adapter, the front extension configured to move rearward in the keyway relative to the at least two optical fibers when the boot is displaced rearward to actuate the optical fiber connector for extraction from the adapter; 
 wherein the boot is movable in relation to the housing and the crimp body from a first position in which front extension is on the top of the housing to a second position in which the front extension is on the bottom of the housing and wherein moving the boot from the first position to the second position changes polarity of the fiber optic connector. 
 
     
     
       16. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 15 , wherein the back portion has a ribbed structure with openings on an outside surface along a length of the back portion to provide strain relief to a fiber cable containing the two optical fibers. 
     
     
       17. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 15 , wherein the boot is movable longitudinally relative to the housing upon application of a pull force, and wherein after application of the pull force, the boot and the housing are rotatable relative to each other to change a polarity of the fiber optic connector. 
     
     
       18. The fiber optic connector according to  claim 15 , wherein the front extension is an integrally molded with the center portion and has a latch. 
     
     
       19. A fiber optic connector comprising:
 a boot; 
 a crimp body engaged to the boot forward of the boot; and 
 a housing having two optical fibers terminated respectively within two fiber optic ferrules therein, the housing comprising a front end opening for the two fiber optic ferrules, a pair of short sides forming a top and a bottom and a pair of long sides joining the top and the bottom, a separation between the top and the bottom is more than a separation between individual ones of the pair of long sides, the two fiber optic ferrules being spaced apart from each other between the top and the bottom but equidistant from each of the pair of long sides, 
 wherein the crimp body is positioned rearward of the front end of the housing, the crimp body having a rear portion to receive the two optical fibers, 
 wherein the boot includes: 
 a center portion having a front end and a back end, a first longitudinal opening extending between the front end and the back end to receive a portion of the crimp body and a fiber optic cable having the two optical fibers, 
 a back portion attached to the center portion and extending away from the front end of the center portion, the back portion defining a second longitudinal opening that is in communication with the first longitudinal opening, and 
 a front extension portion connected to the center portion and extending forward and beyond the front end of the center portion, and 
 wherein the boot is movable in relation to the housing and the crimp body from a first position in which front extension is on the top of the housing to a second position in which the front extension is on the bottom of the housing and wherein moving the boot from the first position to the second position changes polarity of the fiber optic connector.